Vanilla Ride
Knopf, Jun 30 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9780307270979
In East Texas, unlikely sidekicks Hap Collins and Leonard Pine behave like identical twins though the former is white heterosexual and the latter is black homosexual. These two kick butt buddies believe in the code of LDRSHIP (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage); they are there for each other.
Being Good Samaritans, they rescue the granddaughter of a friend Marvin Hanson from local drug dealers. However, their actions embarrass the Dixie Mafia, who cannot allow this affront to their friends go unnoticed. They send a horde of trained killers to take out the dynamic duo, who enjoy the war. As the body count explodes to the point they may need a stadium to hold the corpses, the humiliated Dixie Mafia send their top gun Vanilla Ride to kill the pair starting with her blue eyes, blond hair, and killer smile.
The return of the kings of deadly chaos Hap and Leonard will delight fans as they once again get involved in an outrageous caper that leaves plenty of corpses in which the title Vanilla Ride probably should have been Cherry Ride. The story line is fast-paced, filled with action as Joe R. Lansdale satirizes the epic crime thriller with a super insane only in Texas thriller.
Harriet Klausner
